Method and manufacture for text and illustration checkerboard design

ABSTRACT

This invention describes methods for the design of checkerboards comprising two or more square patterns, one pattern being characterized by the predominant use of illustration, the second pattern being characterized by the predominant use of text. The invention also describes a method to generate a physical embodiment of the checkerboards from a printout image, and a method to add a sense of depth to the checkerboard squares by the use of holograms.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/679,492, filed May 10, 2005, which is incorporatedherein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of chess games and other games anddesigns using a checkerboard. The invention discloses methods ofdesigning the checkerboard, methods of implementing checkerboard designsinto physical embodiments, and methods of improving checkerboard displayand visualization. In particular, a method is described of designing acheckerboard employing illustrations such as pictures, figures,drawings, or diagrams, for one of the two checkerboard square colors orpatterns, and text, equations, or annotations, (“text”) for the secondcheckerboard color or pattern. In one aspect of the present invention, amethod is described for the design of chessboards comprising twoalternating square patterns, one characterized by the predominant use ofillustration, the second characterized by the predominant use of text.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Checkerboard games and designs use a checkerboard with two alternatingcolors. For example, chessboard games typically use alternating dark andlight squares in the chessboard design. Other games, such as Chinesecheckers, also use a similar pattern.

Checkerboards serve both a functional and an aesthetic purpose. Inparticular, checkerboard patterns serve to define space and implementconstraints. In chess applications, the checkerboard pattern orients theuser and defines constraints on the motion of various chess pieces. In achess game design, it is also desirable for the checkerboard pattern toprovide a visual display that promotes abstract reasoning and thinking,as necessary for the meaningful pursuit of the game.

Physical embodiments of checkerboards are typically in the form of asurface or array of surfaces.

Although surface presentation of illustrations typically allows viewingof the illustrations from a variety of angles, it might also bedesirable to present illustrations in a form that allows perception ofthe three-dimensionality of objects and figures in the illustrations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In this invention a method is described of designing checkerboards withat least two patterns of squares such that the functional and aestheticrequirements of such designs are met by the resulting checkerboardembodiments.

This invention discloses a method of creating the checkerboardsurface(s) designed according to the above method from a computer orphysical checkerboard layout.

A method of preparing a holographic display of the surface(s) isdescribed, such that perception of the three-dimensional nature ofvarious objects, figures, and illustrations designed according to theabove method is made possible from the usable checkerboard surfaces.

In one aspect of the present invention, chessboards consisting ofalternating illustration and text square patterns are obtained. In oneparticular embodiment of the invention, a chessboard is described thatcontains alternating pictures of scientists and texts and equationsdescribing their work or contributions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 presents an algorithm flowchart for the design of checkerboards;

FIG. 2 presents a perspective view of an idealized chessboard withsquares of two alternating colors or patterns, one of the colors beingrepresented by illustrations and the second being represented by text ona background of a given color, pattern, or motif;

FIG. 3 presents an orthogonal front view of the chessboard of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 presents an orthogonal front view of one embodiment of theinvention using illustration and text;

FIG. 5 presents one of a number of possible embodiments using the themeof well-known scientific personalities for the illustrations and relateddiscoveries, equations, or findings for the texts;

FIG. 6 shows a means of obtaining a surface or set of surfaces from aprintout of a computer file or a picture of a physical layout of acheckerboard; and

FIG. 7 illustrates the use of holograms to generate checkerboardsurfaces that provide a sense of depth in the images, illustrations, andpossibly text.

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Before proceeding with the detailed description, it should be noted thatthe matter contained in the following description and/or shown in theaccompanying drawings may be embodied in various forms, and shouldtherefore be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.Elements shown in the drawings are not necessarily to scale and may beexaggerated, enlarged or simplified, to facilitate understanding of theinvention.

For the purposes of this invention, a checkerboard is defined as anarray of two-dimensional geometric elements containing alternatingpatterns. A pattern is defined as a class of visual elements with acommon component; for example, a pattern could be that of buildingpictures, drawings, or visual representations. Also for the purposes ofthis invention, a theme is defined as a sub-class of a pattern with acommon component; A theme may be selected by a background color, aparticular illustration or text, a category of objects or a group ofpeople, or similar grouping with a common element. In the above exampleof buildings as an example of a pattern, a theme may be that of castles.Different instantiations within the theme, such as a collection ofcastles, are recognized as being part of the same theme within apattern. No attempt is made to more specifically define the terms“pattern” and “theme:” a theme is just a sub-class of a class named“pattern.” For the purpose of this invention, a pattern could also bedefined as “castles” and a theme as “medieval castles.”

In specific embodiments, such as in chess, the checkerboard comprisestwo alternating patterns, generally taken to represent respectivelylight and dark squares.

In general, the checkerboard will be composed of squares, rectangles, orother geometric pattern that can be repeated across a surface,thereafter denoted as either “squares” or “boxes.”

“Text” maybe considered as defining an other pattern; specific textsub-classes, such as equations, or quotes, would define different themesof the pattern “text.”

FIG. 1 describes an algorithm to generate a checkerboard designaccording to the present invention, generally denoted by numeral 100. Inthe first step, 104, a checkerboard theme and a checkerboard geometricdesign are selected. In the particular embodiment represented in FIG. 1,two patterns are retained as “illustration” and “text” respectively, andtwo associated themes are defined (definition not shown in the figure).In the next block of steps, denoted generally by numeral 110, and foreach checkerboard square in turn as indicated by iterative element 106,the specific illustration instantiation for an illustration squarepattern and theme, 114, and the specific text instantiation for a textsquare pattern and theme, 116, are selected. The backgrounds for thesetwo patterns are also selected, 112. It is noted that the backgroundconsists of a common feature, but may be varied from one square to thenext. As an example, the background of a square of pattern text may be abackground of a solid color, and the color may be varied from one textsquare to the next. In the last step of this block of steps, therelative orientation of the text or illustration square is chosen withrespect to the overall checkerboard geometry, 118. The method isiterated, step 120, until the last square in the checkerboard has beenprocessed. In the next step, 122, a layout is selected for thecheckerboard design, including checkerboard margins, borders and areasaround the squares themselves, and related features. Finally, in thelast step, 124, the method of physical implementation is selected.Implementation methods include lamination, generation of hologram(s),bonding of a thin sheet to a substrate layer, and similar methods knownin the art. As a result of these steps, a specific checkerboard designis obtained that meets both functional and aesthetic requirements for acheckerboard.

FIG. 2 presents a perspective view of an idealized chessboard text andillustration design according to the present invention, 200. It isunderstood that in specific embodiments, the patterns “text” and“illustration” as shown will be replaced by various instantiations ofthe respective pattern themes.

FIG. 3 presents an orthogonal front view of the chessboard of FIG. 2,300.

The design features comprise use of pictures or illustrations for one ofthe two alternating checkerboard square patterns, and of text for thesecond, alternating, checkerboard square patterns. The specific size andgeometric aspect of the chessboard can be varied among multipledimensions. Similarly, a large number of different themes can be used toprovide a specific embodiment. The illustrations and text might be incolor or gray-scale. The illustration boxes comprise features taken fromthe set of a picture, a diagram, a figure, a drawing, a symbol, and mayinclude text, but are predominantly characterized by a non-textualvisual element. The text boxes can also have varying backgroundfeatures, including illustrations, but are predominantly characterizedby the presence of text. The invention is not limited to checkerboardcomprising only two alternating patterns, but applies to checkerboarddesigns comprising three or more alternating patterns; the alternationsbeing periodic or not.

FIG. 4 presents an orthogonal front view of one embodiment of theinvention. The common element between the “dark” colored boxes is thepresence of an illustration in the form of a figure, picture, drawing,or diagram (thereafter referred to as “illustration pattern”); thecommon element between the “light” colored boxes is the presence oftext, equations, or annotations (thereafter referred to as “textpattern”). The specific markings of FIG. 4 are merely exemplary, andillustrate a number of possible variations, or themes. It should benoted that the common feature of illustration squares does not precludethe presence of text, nor does the common feature of text squarespreclude the possibility of background colors, textures, orillustrations. The differentiation between the two square patterns,often described in the prior art as “dark” colored and “light” coloredsquares, is through the dominant feature of these square patterns,respectively the predominant presence of illustrations and thepredominant presence of text. FIG. 4 also presents a number of possiblecheckerboard themes for pattern design, including but not limited to:leaders, castles, artifacts, cinematography, religions, places, statues,emotions, musical scores, photography, concepts, mankind evolution,musicians, landscapes, sciences, performing arts, sculptures,philosophers, literature, sayings, architecture, maps, music, paintings,philosophies, astronomy, poets, mathematics, speeches, romance, history,antiquity. The adjacent square contains text briefly describing theassociated field, person, or person's achievement. Virtually any fieldof human endeavor could lead to specific embodiments of the presentinvention. Each of the themes illustratively presented in FIG. 4 canserve as the design pattern theme for one specific embodiment of thepresent invention. In such a case, various instantiations of the themeare used for the checkerboard squares. Alternatively, various themes maybe combined in designing a single checkerboard. Additional themeexamples include writers, mathematicians, and scientists.

FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention, usingportraits and text as respective patterns. The portrait pattern theme isthat of well-known scientist and associated equations or discoveriesdefine the text theme. The illustration instantiations are drawn from acollection of well-known scientists'portraits (illustration theme), andthe text instantiations list associated discoveries, equations, orfindings (text theme). As the figure shows, the orientation of theillustrations and associated texts may be varied in a number of ways asmight be found desirable for a specific embodiment of the presentinvention. The specific illustrations and texts shown in FIG. 5 aremerely illustrative.

FIG. 6 schematically describes a process to obtain a physical embodimentof the present invention. Given a checkerboard surface, thecorresponding image that is to be laid-out on part of the surface isgenerated by a printout of a computer image, or from a printout of apicture of a physical layout of the selected checkerboard squares. Thisprintout is then sandwiched between the checkerboard surface and alaminate surface. The laminate surface is typically transparent orsemi-transparent, and provides a layer of protection to the printedimage. Many other modes of manufacture are possible, including bonding atwo dimensional composite picture embedded in a solid surface sheet(such as made from various plastic materials), as known in the art.

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates the use of holograms for the variouscheckerboard squares. The holograms provide a sense of depth to thescene, in such a way that when the checkerboard user views the scene atvarious angles, the objects in the scene appear to move with respect toone another. The holograms may also be covered by a laminated sheet.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a method is described thatallows generation of practical and aesthetic checkerboards using textand illustrations respectively for each of the squares colors orpatterns.

The advantages of the above described embodiments, improvements, andmethods should be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, as toenabling the design of text and illustration checkerboards. Additionaldesign considerations may be incorporated without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention. It should thus be noted that thematter contained in the above description and/or shown in theaccompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense. Accordingly, the following claims are intended to coverall generic and specific features described herein, as well as allstatements of the scope of the present methods and manufactures which,as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

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 13. A method for the design of checkerboardswith two or more square patterns, comprising: (a) selecting eachpattern; (b) for each pattern selecting a theme; and (c) for each squarein the checkerboard selecting a pattern and selecting an associatedtheme instantiation; whereby a checkerboard with two or more alternatingsquare patterns is obtained such that at least two different squareinstantiations are selected for at least one of the two or morealternating square patterns.
 14. A method for the design of text andillustration checkerboards with two square patterns, comprising: (a)selecting the text and illustration patterns; (b) selecting a theme forthe text pattern; (c) selecting a theme for the illustration pattern;and (d) for each square in the checkerboard selecting a pattern andselecting an associated theme instantiation; whereby a checkerboard withtwo alternating square patterns is obtained such that at least twodifferent square instantiations are selected for at least one of the twoalternating square patterns.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein anillustration is one from the group consisting of (i) a picture; (ii) adiagram; (iii) a drawing; (iv) a painting; and (v) a scene.
 16. Themethod of claim 14, wherein a text is one from the group consisting of(i) a string of characters; (ii) an equation; (iii) an annotation; (iv)a symbol; and (v) a diagram.
 17. A method for the design of text andillustration checkerboards with two square patterns, comprising: (a)selecting the text and illustration patterns; (b) selecting acheckerboard theme; (c) selecting a theme for the text patternassociated to the checkerboard theme; (d) selecting a theme for theillustration pattern associated with the checkerboard theme; (e) foreach checkerboard square selecting a pattern and selecting an associatedtheme instantiation; (f) for each checkerboard square, selecting theorientation; whereby a checkerboard with two alternating square patternsis obtained, one represented by the predominant use of illustration, theother by the predominant use of text, such that at least two differentinstantiations are selected for at least one of the two alternatingsquare patterns.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein an illustration isone from the group consisting of (i) a picture; (ii) a diagram; (iii) adrawing; (iv) a painting; and (v) a scene.
 19. The method of claim 17,wherein a text is one from the group consisting of (i) a string ofcharacters; (ii) an equation; (iii) an annotation; (iv) a symbol; and(v) a diagram.
 20. The method of claim 17, further comprising selectingthe backgrounds for the text and illustration squares.
 21. A method forthe design of text and illustration chessboards with two squarepatterns, comprising: (a) for each illustration chessboard square,selecting the illustration; and (b) for each text chessboard square,selecting the text; whereby a chessboard with two alternating squarepatterns is obtained, one represented by the predominant use ofillustration, the other by the predominant use of text, such that atleast two different instantiations are selected for at least one of thetwo alternating square patterns.
 22. The method of claim 21, wherein thethemes associated with illustration and text are people portraits andbrief excerpts of their creations, respectively.
 23. The method of claim22, wherein people are scientists and creations are equations ordiscoveries associated with the scientists.
 24. The method of claim 21,wherein each illustration square is associated with a text square. 25.The method of claim 21, wherein an illustration is one from the groupconsisting of (i) a picture; (ii) a diagram; (iii) a drawing; (iv) apainting; and (v) a scene.
 26. The method of claim 21, wherein a text isone from the group consisting of (i) a text; (ii) an equation; (iii) anannotation; (iv) a symbol; (v) a diagram; and (vi) a character.
 27. Amethod of creating a physical embodiment from a computer or physicallayout of a text and illustration checkerboard, comprising: (a)selecting a checkerboard surface; (b) generating a printout for thecorresponding checkerboard squares; and (c) creating an embeddedcheckerboard surface by sandwiching the printout of step (b) in betweenthe checkerboard surface of step (a) and a laminate surface; whereby atext and illustration checkerboard surface is generated such that atleast two different instantiations are selected for at least one of thetwo alternating text and illustration square patterns.
 28. A method ofcreating a checkerboard with two alternating square patterns, comprisingcreating holograms for each of the checkerboard square surfaces, wherebya checkerboard with a perception of scene depth is generated for each ofthe squares of two alternating patterns, such that at least twodifferent instantiations are selected for at least one of the twoalternating square patterns.
 29. A method of designing a checkerboardcomprising two or more alternating square patterns, the methodcomprising: a) selecting a common pattern for each of the alternatingpatterns; and b) for each square in the set of squares representative ofa pattern, selecting a pattern instantiation; such that at least twodifferent instantiations are selected for at least one of the twoalternating square patterns.
 30. The method of claim 29, wherein onepattern is illustration and a second pattern is text.
 31. The method ofclaim 30, wherein the text pattern is associated with the illustrationpattern.
 32. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step ofselecting themes, each theme being associated to a pattern.
 33. Themethod of claim 32, wherein the two patterns are illustration and textrespectively.
 34. The method of claim 33, wherein the themes associatedwith illustration and text are people portraits and brief excerpts oftheir creations, respectively.
 35. The method of claim 34, whereinpeople are scientists and creations are equations or discoveriesassociated with the scientists.